DECISION ON KOCHI CANCER CENTRE SOON: HEALTH MINISTER

The campaign for a cancer centre in Kochi got a boost on Sunday when Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar announced that the government would soon take a decision on the centre.He said the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, had received a report for the project.“A high-level meeting in the presence of the Chief Minister will discuss the project and take a decision on it soon,” the Minister said.

He was speaking at the Hi-Tech Medical Camp organised by the Ernakulam Press Club here. He said the GCDA chairman, the Mayor and the district medical officer had been asked to follow up the report. A senior health official said the government planned to set up the cancer centre at the Cochin Medical College.Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution K.V. Thomas inaugurated the camp. About 5,000 people participated. There was also an ayurveda counter. GCDA chairman N. Venugopal presided over the camp. M.I. Junaid Rahman, Medical Director, Cochin Medical College, was the camp director.

PANEL’S PLEA

Special Correspondent writes:

The District Development Committee has appealed to the State government to set up a cancer care centre of international standards attached to the Cochin Medical College to meet the needs of people in central Kerala.A meeting of the Council here said the government should take into consideration the widespread demand for such a centre, said a release issued by the Public Relations Department here on Saturday.